DOI: 10.17567/currresdentsci.1522843 ISSN: 2822-2555

Evaluation of the Use of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in Pediatric Patients

Büşra Mutlu, Aysun Avşar, Yaşar Budak, Behnaz Rezaei
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Objective: Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a widely used imaging modality in pediatric dentistry. Due to the increased sensitivity of pediatric patients to ionizing radiation, it is of great importance that CBCT is used with appropriate indications and within a suitable field of view (FOV). The aim of this study is to evaluate the reasons for CBCT use in pediatric patients and its distribution according to age groups and anatomical regions.Methods: This study included a total of 442 pediatric patients aged between 5 and 18 years who underwent CBCT imaging and presented to the Faculty of Dentistry at Ondokuz Mayıs University between 2018 and 2023. The patients were retrospectively evaluated based on age groups (5–9, 10–13, and 14–18), gender, field of view (maxilla/mandible; anterior/posterior), and the clinical indications for which the CBCT scans were requested. The indications were categorized under 12 headings: impacted tooth, cyst, supernumerary tooth, dental anomaly, cleft lip and palate, tumor, resorption, dental trauma, congenital tooth agenesis, apical lesion, overextended root canal filling material, and unidentified object.Results: Among the 442 CBCT scans evaluated, 229 (51.8%) were performed on male patients and 213 (48.2%) on female patients. It was determined that 62 patients were in the 5–9 age group, 174 in the 10–13 age group, and 206 in the 14–18 age group. The most frequently imaged region was the anterior maxilla (60.16%), while the least frequently imaged region was the posterior maxilla (9.28%). Analysis of the indications revealed 12 distinct reasons for CBCT use. The most common indications were the evaluation of impacted teeth (39.36%), cystic lesions (16.28%), supernumerary teeth (13.57%), and dental anomalies (6.33%), respectively.Conclusion: CBCT is a frequently utilized imaging method for both diagnostic purposes and treatment planning. In pediatric patients, the most common indication for CBCT referral was identified as the evaluation of impacted teeth.Keywords: Cone-beam computed tomography, impacted tooth, pediatric dentistry, supernumerary tooth

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